ED seizes Rs 28 lakh cash, documents in poll-bound West Bengal

The Enforcement Directorate seized ₹28 lakh during raids in two West Bengal cases, including a crime syndicate probe and a PDS scam. Cash, gold, and documents were recovered amid ongoing investigations ahead of assembly polls

Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized cash worth about Rs 28 lakh during raids conducted in two cases in poll-bound West Bengal over the last few days. The central agency conducted fresh searches on Sunday as part of a money-laundering investigation against an alleged local crime syndicate led by Biswajit Podder alias Sona Pappu. “The searches covered the premises of Kalyan Shukla and Sanjay Kumar Kanodia which have resulted in seizure of cash amounting to Rs 10 lakh, gold jewellery, incriminating documents and digital devices.

“The seized documents indicate large-scale cash dealings amongst the suspect persons and PEPs (politically exposed persons),” the ED said in a statement on Monday. A PEP is an individual who holds a prominent public position. The agency has conducted multiple searches in this case previously.

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The second action pertains to the alleged Public Distribution System (PDS) scam. The ED conducted raids at 11 locations in West Bengal on April 25. “The searches resulted in the seizure of Rs 18.4 lakh in cash, various incriminating documents and digital evidence related to the offence of money laundering,” it said.

The money-laundering case stems from an October 2020 FIR registered by police in Basirhat based on a complaint from the deputy commissioner of customs (land customs station) at Ghojadanga, which alleged large-scale diversion of PDS wheat meant for welfare schemes. The second and final phase of polling in the state will be held on April 29. The first phase of voting took place on April 23. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.